Station Identification:
Physical Location: St. Joseph, LA
Distance/Context: ~140 miles from LSU Baton Rouge
Contacts:
Resident Coordinator: Melissa Cater
Farm Manager: Warren Ratcliff
Station Overview:
408 acres used for research and demonstration. 30 acres in woods, drainage, etc. The main focus areas research conducted at this station includes weeds, insects, variety selection, fertility, irrigation, and cover crops. Additionally, we have small research studies on canola, wildlife forage management, and beef cattle forages. All of this research is used to develop best management practices for producers and to provide on-station demonstration areas for educating farmers.
Key Commodities and Production Systems Served:
The primary commodities we research are cotton, corn soybeans, and grain sorghum. We also research on sweet potatoes, wildlife and cattle forages, and canola.
Research Programs and Disciplines:
The Northeast Research Station has active research projects in the following areas:
- Weed Science
- Entomology
- Plant Pathology
- Agronomy
- Soil Fertility
- Irrigation
- Forages
- Variety Development
Physical Resources and Infrastructure:
Office building – houses research and extension faculty and staff.
Lab building – four labs and storage used by faculty stationed at Northeast and Macon Ridge Research Stations.
Greenhouse & storage – the greenhouse is used for drying biomass from four agronomy programs, while the storage area is used for equipment attached to the agronomy programs.
Fertilizer chemical storage – stores fertilizer and chemicals for all research and demonstration programs.
Mobile unit storage shed – used for overflow small equipment that is either too heavy or too bulky to be stored in the lab storage area.
Storage building – used for storage of equipment and supplies for individual research program.
The tractor shed, sheep barn, shop, and shop extension are all buildings that are used in support of our research mission.
Analysis Capabilities and Impact:
The Northeast Research Station is well equipped with skilled personnel, modern facilities, and strong institutional support to tackle many of the pressing issues confronting today’s agricultural producers. Research programs emphasize practical, sustainable production systems, examining factors such as tillage approaches, planting timing and rates, crop management decisions, and efficient water and nutrient use to support both high yields and long-term stewardship of natural resources. Additional work centers on advancing integrated pest management solutions for weeds, insects, and diseases, using a combination of cultural practices and carefully applied chemical controls to reduce environmental risk while improving farm-level profitability.
Agricultural Applications:
Weed science research is guiding the strategic integration of cover crops with available chemical controls to address herbicide resistance and reduce overall chemical inputs for winter weed management. Ongoing cover crop evaluations are also generating data to inform optimal seeding rates and variety selection. In parallel, varietal performance trials provide critical insights into how newly released varieties perform across the diverse soil types of Northeast Louisiana.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
Collaborations within faculty programs at Northeast Research Station as well as extensive collaborations with on-campus departments and other research stations are common. Additionally, we have ongoing multi-state collaborations with other universities both among faculty and with graduate students. LDAF and DEQ are actively funding water quality studies while commodity boards provide extensive support. Finally, industry partnerships remain strong with funding and resources provided for in-field work.
